Wuyi Mountains
Wuyishan is a national park in China, which is a mountain range stretching over more than 1000 km2. The territory of the park itself is approximately 70 km2. The average height of the mountains is 650 meters, and the maximum is 2158 meters at Mount Wuyishan. For its biological and cultural value, the area was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1999.
In these places there are beliefs that in ancient times Wuyishan was chosen for settlement by one of the founders of the Chinese nation, Peng Zu. One day, due to a large flood of the river, the city was flooded, but the sons of Peng Zu arrived to the rescue: Peng Wu and Peng Yi, taking the residents to the mountains. Later they created new river beds to discharge flood waters. This is how, according to legend, the Jiuquxi River with all its tributaries appeared. And the residents immortalized the brothers by naming Mount Wuyi Shan after them, and the Wuigong Palace was built on the river. Previously, the emperors of ancient China made sacrifices in the mountains, among them the emperors Wudi and Xuanzong can be noted.
Wuyi National Park is recognized for the cultivation of a large number of tea varieties, among which the most famous are Da Hong Pao tea and red Lapsang Souchong tea. We can talk about the beneficial properties of tea for a long time, and each variety is useful in its own way.
Relict plants also grow here, growing in these parts. Picturesque places are found at every step: the “river of nine bends”, sandstone cliffs, temples and monasteries, some of which have been destroyed by time. These monasteries were the center of the birth of Neo-Confucianism, which gave a strong impetus to the development of East Asian culture in the 11th century. Not far away are the ruins of the capital of the Han Dynasty, as well as Wannian Palace, Chaiyang Academy and Hongqiao Bridge.
Millions of tourists come to Wuyi every year, and sometimes the authorities have to close access to some parts of the park to prevent the destruction of unique monuments. Visitors to the park can take advantage of hiking trails to the mountains, or a boat excursion and sail 9 km on bamboo rafts past the rugged red pecan mountains. Guides often take tourists to Taoyuan Cave. The cave is difficult for the uninformed to find, since the entrance is hidden behind a huge stone, merging with the mountain from a distance.
